I wait for this native tree to bud and flower every year. I love the buds on a salad. Think of them as capers, they have a slightly sour taste.
They grow pretty much anywhere east of the Rockies. In the warm months they have large numbers of seed pods. The seeds are very nutritious.
See http://www.eattheweeds.com/eastern-red-bud-pea-pods-on-a-tree/ for detail.
This tree is a forager’s delight, even the leaves are edible, cooked or raw.